In Dublin, even those who have plenty of their own property to enjoy maintain a deep appreciation for what the community has to offer.
Scattered throughout the City are a variety of estate homes, from comparatively smaller affairs on an acre or two to sprawling set-ups with double-digit acreage and quintuple-digit square footage.
Some, such as a handful in the Reserve, are set back on suburban streets. Others can be glimpsed behind gates on major thoroughfares such as Dublin and Avery roads.
One area in which estate homes are plentiful is the aptly named Estates at Muirfield, a gated section situated on the east side of the Muirfield Village neighborhood.
Thomas and Gwen Weihe have lived in the Estates for three years, though they’ve been in Muirfield since 1990. When someone came to the door of their previous house asking if they’d be interested in selling it, the Weihes, who have two grown children, went looking for something smaller and fitting for empty-nesters.
But they also checked out the Estates, largely because of the wooded area that borders it, and were struck almost immediately by the house – about 3,300 square feet on two acres near the second hole – that would become their next home.
“We walked in the door and kind of fell in love with the house at first sight,” says Gwen.
The property and its surrounding area make for a close connection to nature, especially during the changing seasons. And the house’s accommodations have provided the Weihes with opportunities as well.
“We help a lot of different organizations here in Columbus, and it’s allowed us to do some fundraising for organizations in the house,” Gwen says.
Among those organizations are the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Columbus Museum of Art, Goodwill Columbus, the Pierre Garcon Helping Hands Foundation and Charity Newsies. The Weihes also hold a Christmas party for fellow Muirfield empty-nesters, and their house was on the tour of homes put on by the Dublin Women’s Club last spring.
The City’s appeal is helped by the fact that it’s a great place to do business, Gwen says; she and her husband work out of the home. The two are both big fans of the walking paths in the community, as well as the neighborhood’s dedication to upkeep and the City services in general.
Another community with a healthy complement of estate homes and other large properties is Tartan West. A.J. and Jackie Lall and their son, Benjamin, have lived in the community since 2007.
A.J. is owner of Dublin-based Benco Custom Builders, and he designed the nearly 14,000-square-foot house on about one acre himself.
Among the highlights of the place are a self-contained mother-in-law suite with its own living room, bathroom, laundry room and sitting room, and a walkout lower level with a home theater, wet bar, wine cellar and billiards room.
“I’ve also got a two-story library that is all paneled wood,” A.J. says. “There’s no drywall visible at all.”
On top of that are a huge walk-in pantry, five refrigerators, four dishwashers, two kitchens and a geothermal system to keep heating and cooling costs down.
Former Hilliard residents, the Lalls moved to Dublin based largely on the strength of Dublin City Schools and the chance to send Benjamin to Dublin Jerome High School.
“Dublin has always had good schools, and we thought, before he moved into high school, that would be the perfect place for him to go,” A.J. says.
As a homebuilder, A.J. had also spent a considerable amount of time watching the development of the City and the opportunities afforded by some of its newer communities, such as Ballantrae and Tartan Fields. He and his wife wanted to be in an exclusive community when they moved to Dublin, and when Tartan West started going up and Corazon was built, they knew it was the place for them.
Other appeals of the location were its proximity to hospitals, shopping, freeways and other appreciated amenities, A.J. says.
A.J. briefly put the house on the market in the fall to gauge buyer interest; Benjamin recently started college and the Lalls may look to downsize sooner or later. But they intend to stay in Dublin, A.J. says, and he’s seeking another great area like the one he’s in now.
“That’s going to be my challenge,” he says.
Another place to spot big homes on bigger lots is along the Scioto River on Dublin Road, just east of Lewellyn Farms.
Rob and Shannon Crane – who have two sons and a grown daughter – have lived in a 6,100-square-foot house on an acre and a half there since 1999. Along with Jeff and Lisa Edwards, they bought eight acres of property there in the 1990s and divided it into four lots.
Because they were involved in the design of the house, the Cranes made a point of including fun and exciting features for their children and themselves.
“(The house) is centered around a three-story library that’s open in the middle, and off that library is a hidden door – the bookshelf actually moves away when you tug on a certain book, and it goes to a back hallway,” Rob says. “Off that back hallway is a ladder that goes up to a small hidden space, from which you descend on a fireman’s pole.”
Another such feature: a hanging rope bridge 50 feet off the ground that crosses the ravine behind the house, connecting to a tree house on the other side. The Cranes built the bridge themselves about three years ago.
The natural beauty of the area made it a solid choice for the family, says Rob, a physician and a professor of family medicine at The Ohio State University. Having the river nearby is great as well, he says.
“We’re so fortunate to have a beautiful, natural area on a ravine with a waterfall and a creek running through it,” he says.
That he is able to have a house so surrounded by nature, and yet just a mile away from Historic Dublin via bike path, is all the more benefit to living in the City, Rob says. Proximity to I-270 and the Mall at Tuttle Crossing is another bonus.
Garth Bishop is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
